I’m a longtime lurker here and have just signed up because there’s no one I can talk to about this in real life who understands or is going through the same thing. I’m looking for some kind words, success stories, or just general solidarity!
I am 32, will be 33 in less than 5 months. I had just turned 32 when we started trying. My DH is 29, turning 30 in 5 months. We’re now on our 8th cycle of TTC for baby #1.
I’m massively Type A so we’ve never had a “relax and see what happens” phase. I’ve been using OPKs from the very start, sticking them in a book and marking when we DTD. We use conception-friendly lube.
My cycles are very regular, 26-28 days on average, but my bleeds are on the heavy side. I was on the pill when I was at uni well over a decade ago, but came off it because it made me depressed—I think I was never on it for more than a year or two. I am slim, non smoker, barely drink, eat healthily.
Not a hint of a BFP yet, no chemicals, nothing. I’ve been worried something is wrong for a while now so I booked DH in for a SA. The results came back showing a very high sperm count, slightly above average motility, but only 1% morphology. The report said this is classed as teratazoospermia and it said his sperm might find it hard to find and penetrate my egg. It was a horrible shock to read the report.
DH doesn’t like alcohol—he has approx 3 ciders a year and that’s it. He’s never smoked or done drugs. He eats healthily and is very slim (always has been). He is the epitome of health. He cycles to work, but given his count is so high I’m not convinced it’s the cycling that is causing his morphology issues.
The evidence seems mixed about whether low morphology is problematic when other sperm markers are good. Anecdotally, it looks like lots of couples get pregnant anyway, but lots don’t and need IVF with ICSI. We can’t find any evidence on whether there’s a reason it seems to affect some couples’ outcomes and not others. The GP has told DH not to worry and that it may just take us longer. Other people in the same situation have been told they’ll need IVF. I’m terrified of IVF because of the expense and how low the success rates are. I’m so anxious I don’t know what to do with myself. I hate the uncertainty.
I’m convinced something is wrong with me too. I’ve been having pain on deep penetration for the last 2 years or so, having never had problems with deep penetration before. I also get random twinges in my pelvic region and I’ve been told I’ve got a tilted (retroverted) uterus. In 2023 they investigated these symptoms and found a polyp in my womb and having it removed was so excruciatingly painful I nearly fainted. (It was meant to be mildly uncomfortable.) I’m worried I have undiagnosed endo or something (albeit with less severe symptoms than the typical endo case). I also never get EWCM. Could it be that the SA is a red herring, and the problem is actually with me?
Does anyone have any advice? I’m so tearful all the time because my maternal instinct is so strong and not being able to get pregnant is breaking my heart. It’s a cliché, but it really is true that all my friends and family members who have babies got pregnant within the first or second cycle of trying. I feel so jealous. Seeing babies everywhere is even starting to bother my very stoical and calm DH.
Sorry for such a long post, I’m just going out of my mind with worry and I don’t know what else to do but post here and hope someone can offer some consolation.